Steven Dawlo, who was among the very first British holidaymakers to grab a flight and arrive in Turkey this week after the coronavirus lockdown, says he finds Turkey safer than the U.K. His remarks were backed by another passenger and a frequent visitor to Turkey, Tommy Doffie, who says their arrival in the western Muğla province marked an end to a long waiting period.
The nearly three-month halt due to the COVID-19 outbreak came to an end Wednesday as the first charter plane from the U.K. carrying 189 British tourists arrived in the southern Mediterranean resort city of Antalya.
It came after the U.K. earlier this month included Turkey in its list of nearly 60 countries and said it would ditch a 14-day quarantine period for people arriving from these countries it deems to be a lower risk for COVID-19.
Arriving British holidaymakers praise the measures taken by Turkey, to ensure a safe and healthy stay of tourists in the facilities and beaches.
Dawlo said they visit Muğla, which he says they love very much, at least two times per year. Dawlo told Anadolu Agency (AA) that they find Turkey much safer than the U.K.
Stretching along Turkey’s Aegean coast, Muğla is known for its historical remains, natural riches and beaches. It hosts millions of foreign visitors each year. The province welcomed around 1.14 million British tourists last year, up from around 1 million in 2018.
Doffie said Turkey has been his choice for vacation many times to date. He also stressed that he even bought a house in Muğla’s Marmaris district due to his love of Turkey. “We are very happy to have come to Turkey. We went through a very long wait process. I’m less safe in my home, I feel safer in Turkey,” he said.
The U.K.’s official pandemic death toll, which stood at more than 45,000 as of Friday, has for several weeks been the highest in Europe and the third-highest in the world behind the U.S. and Brazil.
